Snow fence



Aug. 2o, 1957 w. F.` BORGES sNow FENCE;

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 25, 1954 INVENTOR. A TTORNEs//S Aug. 20, 1957 w. HBORGES 2,803,437

uSNOW FENCE Filed June 23, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheef Z IN V EN TOR.

H TTORNEYS.

nited States ii? Patented Aug. 20, 1S57 SNOW FENCE Walter F. Borges, Milwaukee, Wis.

Appiieation June 23, 1954, Serial No. 438,681

2 Claims. (Cl. 256-12.5)

This invention relates to improvements in fences and more particularly but not exclusively to fences of the type used to protect a road or the like from drifting snow.

it is common practice in areas which are affected by winter blizzards to erect wooden snow fences onV the Windward side of a road, railroad, or other selected area to prevent objectionable drifting of snow. These fences are customarily built from interconnected wooden slats and are adapted to be rolled up for transportation or storage. However, they cannot be rolled compactly, are rather dicult to erect, and require a substantial amount of maintenance to protect the wood from the elements.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved fence formed from perforated elongated sheet metal sections which can be folded compactly for transportation and storage, are easy to erect, and require no maintenance.

A more specific object is to provide a fence formed of hinged-together strips of sheet metal, each strip having a multiplicity of holes therein, said holes being preferably of one size in one strip, and of other sizes in other strips, the strips being arranged to suit particular conditions whereby the air currents are effectively confused and caused to drop the snow without drifting.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a snow fence as above described wherein the sections preferably extend horizontally, and wherein the bottom section has the largest holes, the holes in the sections thereabove being of progressively decreasing size toward the top. With this arrangement the air currents which are closest to the ground are permitted to pass more easily through the lower portion of the fence. Thus, there is no piling up of snow close to the fence to clog the latter. The horizontal sections are preferably of a length to span the distance between fence posts so as to provide for convenience in erection.

A further object is to provide, as one form of the invention, a snow fence formed of elongated sheet metal sections wherein the sections are not only perforated but are also longitudinally corrugated to more effectively act upon the snow carrying air currents.

A still further object of the invention is to provide inexpensive fencing material which is well adapted for a wide range of uses, it being also contemplated that the sections may be disposed vertically if desired, the latter arrangement being particularly useful in forming corn cribs.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improved fence, and all of its parts and combinations, as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

ln the accompanying drawing, illustrating several preferred embodiments of the invention, in which the same reference numerals designate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig. 1 is an elevational View of one form of fence E., embodying the present invention and utilizing horizontally disposed strips;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of another form of fence wherein the fence forming strips are installed in vertical position;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 3 3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line' 4 4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan View showing a typical piece of the fencing material;

Fig. 6 is a top View of the material of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a view showing how the fencing strips may be collapsed for shipment and storage;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modied form of strip; and

Fig. 9 is an elevational View of a fence embodying strips of the type illustrated in Fig. 8.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the improved fence consists of strips 10 of sheet metal such as steel or other suitable material, preferably 10 gauge to 16 gauge. While the dimensions may be varied, it is preferred to have the strips approximately eight inches wide, and where they are to be installed horizontally as in Fig. l, eight feet long, so as to span the distance between fence posts 11. This provides for convenience in installation. Each strip or elongated section 10 has a multiplicity of relatively large holes 12 therein preferably arranged in rows as shown, with the holes of one row staggered with respect to the holes of an adjacent row. These holes preferably vary from one-half inch in diameter to one and three-fourths inch in diameter, but in the same strip the holes are usually of uniform size. The holes are so positioned that the solid portions of metal remaining in the strip constitute somewhere between twenty-tive and thirty-five percent of the total area of the strip.

Where the metal strips 10 are to be used for snow fencing as in Fig. l, it is preferred to connect four eight foot strips by hog rings 13, which engage in the holes 12, as illustrated in Fig. 1, so that when the strips are connected to the posts there are horizontal spaces 14 therebetween which may have a width of as much as two inches, where the strips are eight inches wide. This spacing, however, may be varied to suit conditions, as the hog rings 13, together with the size of the openings 12, with which the rings are engaged, permit the longitudinal edges to be assembled closer together if required by local conditions.

if standard metal fence posts such as those illustrated at 11 are used, it is preferred to connect the ends of adjacent sections or strips 10 to the posts by wire 16, said wire being passed through a hole 12 at the end of one strip, through a similar hole in the end of the adjacent strip and then twisted together at the rear of the post as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the front of the wire 15 being engaged over one of the conventional upstanding tongues 15 of a standard T-shaped metal fence post. These tongues are customarily used for supporting wire strands of a wire fence.

In the snow fence of Fig. 1, it is preferred to have the bottomnioststrip 1t) provided with the largest holes. Preferably, these holes are all one and three-fourths inches in diameter. The strip thereabove has holes which are preferably one inch in diameter, the next strip, holes which are three-fourths inch in diameter, and the top strip has holes which are preferably one-half inch in diameter. It is found that an arrangement of this type in conjunction with the relatively wide horizontal spaces 14, provides for very e'icient results under most conditions when the fence is used as a snow fence. It is to be understood, however, that the present invention provides Y7 for storage or shipment. f

drifting.

for great'exibility in'application. That is, the various sections may be connected to provide whatever arrangement of hole size or spacing between sections is best suited to the particular area, to the particular wind conditions, or to the type of snow usually encountered.

While the sheet metal strips may be used without special edging, nevertheless it is preferred to Vclamp a thin vsheet metal channel 17 on each of the end edges and to strengthen the long edges with suitable stock such as the rounded stockshown at 18, the latter being preferably spot welded in position. 1

If desired, the sheet metal sections may be made of shorter length for vertical disposition as at 10 in Fig. 2.

.These strips are also-hinged together by hog rings 13' Ysnow fence, but it is more suitable for other purposes such as for forming a corn crib' or like enclosure;

Either form of the invention (Fig. lor Fig.` 2) may be compactly folded in the accordion fashion shown in Fig.

It is apparent that the snow fencing of Fig. 1 may be sold in any multiple of assembled strips, each of selected length, such as the eight foot Asections* shown in Fig. 1.

'This fencing may also be sold in theform of unassembled strips of uniform length but assorted as to hole size so that the user may assemble the sectionsV to arrange the hole sizes and the spacing 14 to best suit his particular conditions.

. The-snow fence of Fig. 1, being formed Yof metal, is

rsufficiently strong to withstand the strong winds to which it may be subjected,rand the novel arrangement of holes, with a percentage of solids in each section, will confuse the air currents and cause the snow to be dropped in an orderly fashion between the fence and the road without In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9 the same reference numerals, preceded by the digit 1, are employed as those used for corresponding parts in Fig. 1

Vso that the reference numerals in Fig. 8 are in the hundreds. Referring to said figure the strips 110 are formed 'either of a single piece of material of suitable width or of two narrower strips welded together as at 125.V The strips areformed with perforations 112 similar to the perforations 12 of the form of the invention of Figs. 1 and 5. Instead of havingY the longitudinal edges reinforced by separate pieces such as the elongated reinforcements 18V of Fig. 5, said edges are provided with angularly bent anges as at.118. In addition each strip is formed 'with a plurality of longitudinal corrugations 126 which extend throughout the length of the strip. g

In Fig.- 9 one type of installation is illustrated wherein the strips are secured to the posts 111 in the same manner as has heretoforebeen described in connection with Fig. 1. In Fig. 9 one strip is shown as hingedly connected to the strip therebelow by oval rings 113 rather than by the circular rings shown in Fig. 1. The oval rings are capable of providing somewhat greater'maximum spacing, as at 114, where this is desired, and these rings also permit more compact folding of the strips for transportation. In Fig. 9 the lowermost of the strips 110 is shown as installed with its lower edge spaced a substantial distance above the ground. This is found to be advantageous where certain types of weather conditions are encountered.

4 Fig. 9 shows the lowermost strip 110 provided with the largest holes 112, the upper strip with the smallest holes, and the middle strip with holes which are of medium size.

If the sections are installed with the largest holes near the groundas in Figs. 1 and 9, this is usually effective to permit air currents near the ground to pass through the lower portion of the fence without causing snow to pile up against the fence to block the openings. This is also the purpose of the relatively large space below the lowermost fence section in Fig. 9. Regardless of the exact arrangement of hole sizes, if the wind and snow cannot pass through the holes of one section, the air currents will veer olf to give the wind and snow a chance to pass through holes of another section. Thus, any arrangement of the strips is effective for snow fence purposes, and the hog rings engaged in the large holes 12 or 112 permit the spacing between longitudinal edges to be easily varied. i

In the form of' the invention in Figs. 8 and 9 the longitudinal corrugations 126 will act upon the snow bearing air currents to cause dropping of the snow without driftlng.

At the end of a winter the fence can be quickly disassembled and the sections folded in the manner shown in Fig. 7, for easy storage.

Various changes and modifications may be made with- Yout departing from the spirit of the invention, and all plurality of strips of sheet metal connected to and eX- tending horizontally between said fence posts and disposed edgewise one above the other, each strip having a multiplicity of spaced completely open circular snow and wind holes substantially Vthroughout its area extending therethrough, there being snow and wind breaking Vsheet metal stock between said holes, and link means extending through some of said snow and Wind holes which are adjacent longitudinal edges hingedly interconnecting said strips While providing horizontal snow and wind spaces therebetween.

2. In a fencehaving a pair of spaced fence posts, a plurality of strips of sheet metal connected to and extending horizontally between said fence posts and disposed edgewise one above the other, each strip having a plurality of longitudinal corrugations and having a multiplicity of spaced completely open circular snow and wind holes substantially throughout its area extending through said corrugations, there being snow and wind breaking sheet metal stock between said holes, and link means extending through some of said snow and wind holes which are adjacent longitudinal edges hingedly interconnecting said strips while providing horizontal snow and Wind spaces therebetween.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 534,545 Breadner Feb. 1 9, 1895 V1,006,796 Rupp Q Oct. 24, 1911 1,104,485 Everson July 21, 1914 1,567,239 Capell Dec. 29, 1925 1,582,574 Carlson Apr. 27, 1926 1,768,974 Brown July l, 1930 2,474,786 Humphrey June 28, 1949 

